Professional view from Stu

Are you the type of cyclist who loves some flashy new technology? Well this Corratec B-Drive with its carbon belt drive is that something special you've been waiting for!

Question 1: What the heck is a carbon belt drive? I'm glad you asked. Instead of a chain, this bike has a belt drive made of carbon fibre. It's a system that's much more common in Germany than the UK so don't worry - it's all legit. It rides just the same as any other bike, but what's going on under your feet is different. And better.

Question 2: Why? Compared to a chain, carbon drive is clean, quiet, light and strong. The belts also never need any lubrication and, when it gets dirty, you can just hose it down without worrying about rust. Finally, thanks to the carbon fibres, the belt will last 2-3 times longer than an ordinary chain.

Convinced? Of course you are!

The carbon drive powers 8 Shimano Nexus hub gears that you probably know require much less maintenance than the standard cassette set up. If you've never used hub gears before, you'll be delighted with the smooth shifting and surprising power.

Elsewhere on the bike, there's a hefty dollop of suspension in the front forks for extra comfort over those bumps and potholes. And at the back, there's a super strong pannier rack to carry all your shopping, your briefcase - or even all your camping gear.

As a bonus, the front wheel hub also powers a Shimano dynamo for your light! Oh and there's even a kickstand so parking is a snap.

Best For: THE FUTURE.

Delivery to the UK mainland is free for all bikes (and for any accessories ordered at the same time). Bikes will arrive within 3-5 working days. For more information on deliveries and returns click here. Please note that there are some areas outside of England and Wales that we are unable to ship to due to courier restrictions.

Stu Harwood-Hope

FAQs

Products

What can I expect from your second hand bikes?

It's our solemn promise that our bikes will work as well as they did when they first rolled off the production line. All bikes are given the gold standard service by our crack team of highly trained, highly experienced mechanics, and (assuming you treat it right) your bike will be good to ride for many years to come.

Here's what you can expect from your new-to-you bike:

The frame will be second hand. Aesthetically, there may be some cosmetic wear so if this is a concern for you make sure you have good look at the photos before you buy.

Some of the other components will also be second hand – but anything that doesn't meet our strict standards will be replaced with brand new parts. This goes for everything from the handlebar tape to the bottom bracket.

Fast-wearing elements, like the brake blocks and gear cabling, will be completely overhauled and braking and gear shifting will be super snappy, just how you like it.

If you have any doubts at all about buying a bike from The Bike Shop, then just give us a call. If you're in London, feel free to pop into the workshop for a test ride. And remember that we offer a 14-day test ride money back guarantee if you decide you don't like your new bike.

We want to make you feel as comfortable buying from us as you would buying from a trusted friend. The only difference is we've never met, we don't know you from Adam and we're doing this all over the amazing internet. We've had hundreds of happy customers – it's gonna be sweet.

How do I know which size bike I need?

Good question! This is kind of important and depends on your height and the type of bike you're buying. So please please please check out our size guide (link) before you put down any of your hard earned cash. And don't try and squeeze onto a bike too small or too big for you – you'll just end up looking like a circus clown and wrecking your knees / back / street cred. Thanks.

Where did my bike come from?

All our bikes are donated to us and come from a variety of sources including the police, local councils and kindly people like you. If you're replacing an old bike you don't want any more, why not keep the virtuous cycle going and donate it to a bikeless refugee? Unfortunately, we can't do part exchange but rest assured that you're now our number one customer!

Can I test ride a bike before I buy it?

Will my bike be safe to ride?

Thanks for asking this not silly question. Buying online can be scary, but let us reassure you that our mechanics are all highly qualified and extremely experienced. They give the gold standard service to every bike we sell and make 100% certain that it is not only safe, but a pleasure to ride.

We're so utterly convinced that you'll be happy with our bikes that we offer a 14-day test ride returns policy. If you're not ecstatic with your new set of wheels, just box it up and send it back for a full refund. No problemo.

Do all your profits go to charity?

Absolutely! 100%. Every single penny we make helps us get refugees cycling. A bike can utterly transform a refugee’s life by gifting them a free, sustainable and empowering way to access essential resources and services such as education, healthcare and psychological support. With a bike, we reckon refugees are more likely to get back on their feet and ultimately make positive contributions to society. For more on the how, what, why of our mission, check out our website.

Delivery

When will my order arrive?

Your beautiful new-to-you bike will arrive within 3-5 working days of being ordered.

As soon as your order drops into our inbox, our office angels wave their magic wands of administration and our dedicated mechanics get busy with the grease to make sure your bike is in tip-top riding condition just for you. When everything's been double and triple checked, we use a super careful shipping company who do their utmost to deliver the day after dispatch.

But don't worry – we'll send you an email to let you know as soon as your bike has been sent on its merry way and when you can expect to be riding.

Please note: We only deliver to the mainland UK. Sorry!

How will my bike be packaged? Is it fully assembled?

The bike will arrive in a massive cardboard bike box. Because cardboards boxes aren't bike-shaped, however, there will be a couple of simple fixes and adjustments to make before it's ready to ride.

This may sound intimidating, but don’t panic. To help we've made some videos for you to follow along at home. Get the whole series plus instructions on our dedicated page: How to assemble your bike.

If you're not sure or you've got any questions at all about how to put your bike together, don't guess – get in touch! Finally, fold the box flat and keep it safe just in case you need to send the bike back to us.

If you notice that the box is damaged when the bike is delivered to you, you must either refuse the delivery, or register the damage with the delivery person. If a bike is tragically damaged in transit and that damage isn't registered, we've got no way of making a claim with the delivery company to recoup costs. And that's rubbish.

Do I need to be at home when the bike is delivered?

Yes – you will need to be at home to take delivery. Plan to work from home, download a box set or spend the day clearing out the garage because bikes are delivered between 9am and 6pm on working days. It'll be worth it, we promise!

How much does delivery cost?

Who pays for delivery these days? Not you! All bikes, along with any accessories ordered at the same time, are delivered free to anywhere on the UK mainland.

If you buy over £100 of accessories, even without a bike – that's free delivery for you too!

Sadly, our accountant says we do have to charge for smaller deliveries of accessories. That'll cost you £10 per order.

Where do you deliver to?

Anywhere in mainland UK. Sorry Orkadians!

Can I pick my bike up from the workshop?

Course you can! You'll be given the option to collect at the workshop in the delivery options menu when placing your order.

As a thank you for saving us the hassle of packing up your bike, we'll bung you £15 - cheers, mate!

The only thing we ask is that you come and collect within one week of ordering – our workshop is teeny-tiny and we don't have enough space to store bikes for any longer. Look forward to meeting you!

Returns

What can I do if I'm unhappy with my bike?

Oh no! First up, tell us about the problem on the phone (020 7733 8098) or in an email (info@thebikeproject.co.uk). Fingers crossed our bike agony aunts and uncles will be able to make you happy again.

Otherwise, if you're still within our 14-day test ride no fuss, no fret returns period, then you can always pack the bike back up and return it to us. If you're outside that period, give us a call anyway and we'll see what we can do. A happy customer is our only kind.

Please note: If there is a fault with your bike, then you have up to 30 days to notify us of the problem.

How do I return my bike?

If you're reading this before buying your bike: stop now and double check our bike size guide. Our number one rule for customers is to make sure you're buying a bike that will fit you. If you've got any doubts or queries about this or any aspect of buying a bike, give us a call or send us an email. Prevention is better than a cure!

If you're reading this because you're unhappy and want to return your bike, then shucks! We're sorry you feel that way and doubly sorry if we screwed up.

If it's still within 14 days of the delivery date then no problemo – you can return the bike for a full refund. For any orders made in December, we extend our returns period until January 15th just in case it was a Christmas present!

Please note: If there is a fault with your bike, then you have up to 30 days to notify us of the problem.

Send us an email ASAP (info@thebikeproject.co.uk) announcing your intention to return the bike. Although we offer a full refund for the cost of the bike, we can't afford to cover the cost of the return. The organisation and cost of returning the bike safely to us is your responsibility.

The best way to do this is to keep the box and re-pack in the same way it arrived. Please contact us if you need advice on how to pack the bike, but we advise you to:

Remove the pedals.

Turn the handlebars.

Wrap the forks in cardboard to protect them from damage during shipping.

Fill out the box with spare cardboard to make sure the bike won't rattle around in the box.

Mark the box as 'Fragile' and attach our delivery address in a clearly visible location.

If the bike was damaged on delivery, you must either refuse the delivery or register the damage with the delivery person. In this case, we can make a claim with the delivery company to recoup costs and you will, of course, receive a full refund.

We will refund the cost of the bike within 7 working days of its arrival in our workshop. This gives us a chance to give it the once over and get the money back in your account.

I'm not happy with my accessories - what can I do?

Don't fret - if you're unhappy with any accessories you've bought from us, for any reason at all, you have up to 30 days after purchase to return them, provided it has not been used or fitted, and is returned in its original packaging with a valid proof of purchase.

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